Dems Push Against Oil, Gas Testing In Atlantic

Law360, New York (January 31, 2013, 7:45 PM EST) -- Democratic senators on Thursday urged President Barack Obama to stop the Interior Department from carrying out seismic testing for oil and natural gas deposits in the Atlantic Ocean, arguing it harms marine life and could pave the way for offshore drilling.

Led by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., eight lawmakers told the president in a letter that seismic airgun testing was not only dangerous for whales and other marine mammals, but unnecessary because drilling is currently off limits in U.S. Atlantic waters.